1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is primarily in the field of utensils for use in the home in food preparation with a microwave oven. The utensils may be used to prepare food for consumption, or to warm service ware, such as dinner plates upon which food is to be served. For example, the utensil may take the form of a spoon-like article which is immersed in food in a container while this food is being heated in a microwave oven. The spoon-like article absorbs microwave energy more effectively than does the food, and transfers heat to the food by conduction for faster warming of the food in the microwave oven. Alternatively, the utensil may take the form of a disk-like article for attachment to a container in which food is heated in a microwave oven. Again, the attached utensil absorbs microwaves more effectively than the container or the food therein, and transfers heat to the food via the container.
Also, a utensil according to the present invention may be used to quickly warm other food serving utensils, such as dinner plates or soup bowls, for example. Such warmed dinner plates or soup bowls, for example, help preserve the warmth of food placed into them until the food can be served for consumption.
Alternatively, a utensil according to the present invention may take the form of a ball of spheroid (i.e., pellet), which singularly or in multitudes may be heated in a microwave oven. Such a ball or spheroid may be placed into a quantity of food for increasing the speed with which the food will heat in a microwave oven similarly to the spoon-like article. Still alternatively, a multitude of such spheroid pellets may be placed into a flexible heat-transmissive container and heated in a microwave oven. The container may be configured like a pad or wrap for the human body. After heating, the flexible container may be applied to the body of a person as a hot pad or hot wrap for therapeutic heating purposes. This pad or wrap may combine the advantages of moist heat for additional therapeutic effect.
2. Related Technology
A conventional cooking utensil for use in microwave ovens is known in accord with U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,087, issued 21 Apr. 1992 to Katsuya Mamda, et al. The '087 patent is believed to disclose a cooking grill-like utensil in which a metal plate is provided on its upper surface with a layer of non-stick material, and on a lower surface is provided with a layer of heat buildup material. The heat buildup material is absorptive of microwaves so that this material heats the metal plate by conduction and allows food to be cooked on the upper non-stick surface. A covering permeable to microwaves is provided on the heat buildup layer, and also defines legs for supporting the utensil in a microwave oven. A removable cover (like a lid for the grill) is reflective of microwaves to prevent the food from being heated directly.
A conventional cooking film for use with a microwave oven to prepare food is known in accord with European patent application publication No. 0 276 654, published 3 August 1988 (03 08 88), on application No. 88100112.7. This publication is believed to disclose a receptor film for use in a microwave oven to brown or crisp food wrapped in the film. The film is formed of cross-linkable and heat resistant resin with microwave-interactive particles.
A conventional microwave-heatable sheet for food packaging is known in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,405, issued 9 April 1991, The '405 patent is believed to disclose a sheet with a smooth coating on a paper or paperboard backing. On the smooth coating, a layer of microwave interactive material is carried. This microwave interactive coating can include carbon or a semi-conductive metallic coating.
As is well known, many food items are best served on a heated dinner plate. This heating of dinner plates helps preserve the warmth of the food, and prevent its cooling off before the food can be served and consumed. Further, many food items are low in moisture content, and are also low in heat content. These foods especially do not warm well in a microwave oven, and cool off quickly losing some of their appeal and taste if placed on a cool dinner plate for service. Also, when using a microwave oven to warm food, in a cup or bowl for example, some food items because of their low moisture content do not heat well. Also, even some foods which have a high moisture content do not heat as well as desired in a microwave oven. These foods, such as water for tea or coffee, or milk for hot cocoa, for example, take longer than desired to heat in a microwave oven because of the high heat capacity of the water or milk itself.
However, none of the microwave heating films or appliances conventionally known are intended for or are adequate for allowing the heating of bowls, mugs, cups, or only of the central food-contacting portion of dinner plates, for example, in a microwave oven. Such heating of dinner plates, for example, is a desirable facility because many food items are best served on a warm dinner plate. However, the usual means by which dinner plates are warmed in preparation for food service is to heat them in an oven. Restaurants generally have an oven or dedicated dinner plate heater for this purpose. However, the home kitchen seldom has more than a single, or sometimes two, conventional ovens available for use. In each case, when an oven or dedicated plate heater is used to heat dinner plates, the entire plate gets hot. As a result, service personnel handling the hot plates, and guests or patrons of a restaurant, for example, are at risk of being burned by the hot plates. Also, the energy waste resulting from such a use of an oven or dedicated plate heater is considerable. Further, in the preparation of food for a large group or dinner party, for example, all of the available ovens will be devoted to food preparation. Thus, a considerable problem of logistics is presented in order to prepare the food for the group, while still providing heated dinner plates upon which to serve the food. If a microwave oven is available, an attempt might be made to heat the dinner plates prior to the food being placed on them for service.
However, most dinner plates are formed of glass, china, ceramic, or plastic materials, none of which heat well in a microwave oven. Further, if an attempt is made to heat such dinner plates in a microwave oven, the poor heating quality of the plates may tempt the user to use a high power setting and/or an extended interval of heating. Unfortunately, many dinner plates do include decorations, such as metallic (gold or silver, for example) bands, filigrees, or other such ornate patterns. This metallic decoration will heat in a microwave oven. Moreover, if the user of the oven attempts to heat such a dinner plate by applying a high power or prolonged interval of oven operation, the dinner plates may be damaged by having their decorative metallic trim overheated and damaged. A utensil which would allow dinner plates to be quickly and efficiently heated in a microwave oven without damage would have considerable utility, and be greatly desired.
Further, a utensil which could be used directly with food to be heated in a microwave oven, or which could be attached to a vessel in which the food was heated in order to improve the efficiency of microwave absorption and transfer of heat to the food would also be desired.
Still further, an article which could be heated in a microwave oven, either dry or with water to provide moist heating for therapeutic purposes, would be desirable.